threadWEAR 301

​I've been seeing a new trend in t-shirts popping up recently. Stores like Anthropologie and Modcloth are updating the classic top by combining different prints and fabrics. This isn't a totally new concept, but it can be tricky to sew a woven and a knit together. Luckily, Linda has us covered. She created a tutorial for this very trend last year - she is so on top of it! Check out some of the ready-made shirts I've seen in stores below, as well as the Eureka tutorial. I'm re-publishing the original post so you can make your own combination top with the Eureka pattern!

​Overlapping seams are a wonderful finishing technique to use on fabrics that won't fray. Many of you were introduced to the technique with our Chateau Coat, where we integrated overlapping seams into the construction method. In this month's Sew Confident! Linda creates a variation on the Chateau Coat, using wool jersey. Today we want to share with you her tips for creating overlapping seams with wool jersey, as well as give you a peak at the Chateau Popover tutorial. Enjoy!

Alex took the new Memphis Dress pattern to the next level, making it her very own. Be inspired and get this look today.

Alex spent some time in Eureka Springs, Arkansas for our Sewing Workshop retreat this past week where she whipped up a great version of the Alex Top. Be inspired and get this look today. 

​Velvet is the ultimate luxury fabric. For many, the deep, rich qualities of velvet bring to mind everything from sumptuous royal gowns to memories of special occasion holiday dresses worn as a child. As this holiday season approaches – and the holiday party invitations start trickling in – I have found myself thinking of creating new velvet pieces for my wardrobe. But I don't want these garments to be worn just for special occasion, I want to be able to bask in the luxury of velvet after the party season ends. 

Erin is wearing our Stella top and Valencia pants. The dark purple velvet of the Stella top has a subtle print that makes the color even richer. The Stella top is a great choice for this fabric because it really shows off the drape of the velvet fabric. While the Stella on its own is a loose fitting garment, it isn't so blousy that you can't tuck it in. A trendy wide belt is the perfect accessory to pull the outfit together, while accentuating your waist line. 

Sometimes the simplest tools can be the best. Take the humble tweezer. Sure, it has been stereotyped as a bathroom-only apparatus used only for splinters and the stray eyebrow hair. But the tweezer is more than that, it is an apparatus that can be used in the most delicate of sewing situations. 

Fall fashion trends come and go, but few have the staying power of leather. The leather motorcycle jacket became a classic look the instant Marlon Brando roared into movie theaters on his motorcycle in The Wild One in 1953. Nothing says sleek, sexy – and rebellious – like leather. Whether you are wearing a full jacket or just a pop of leather trim, leather can take your look to the next level.